Commander Bhaltair scowled at the rejoined pieces of the scroll he had been handed. He could just make out a few letters of the signature – “T_oub_d_r”.

So, these were the sole remaining records of the Black Watch?

His predecessor’s office had not so much resembled a place of records and tactics as a war zone. The walls scorched with magic, a heavy broadsword protruding from the wall, the furniture reduced to kindling, and pieces of a heavy order shield embedded in the walls, the ceiling the door and the floor. Most worrying was the pair of valorite plate sollerets on the floor, with a strange black substance oozing from them. What had happened to their occupant?

He put those thoughts aside, and gazed down the carefully reconstructed scroll. A bleak thought came to his mind: “How many of these names are also on the king’s list?”

He called for a runner. “Take this scroll, and have a copy made for every town. It is to be posted where all can see it. Add this scroll as well, as a footnote. Recruitment begins.”

It was a start, at least. Now, to the training plans – !
As he strode across the courtyard, his head filled with thoughts of tactics and defence, a shadowy figure watched from behind some bales of straw. The voice from the void had been right, but the loot was terrible, and someone kept throwing him out a window into the moat. Still, the voice did seem to have his best interests at heart. He watched, and gathered intelligence on the enemy. There was far too much order in this kingdom for his liking. Far too much. Perhaps something should be done about that.

This Friday, gather for a meeting of the Black Watch.

Details of the Black Watch, and currently held membership information, will be posted at siege.uoem.net before the event.